Youth Networking

The Importance of Networking With Other Leaders

The definition of the word “networking” depends on who you ask. In other words ‘networking” means different things to different people. According to Webster’s Dictionary networking is “The developing of contacts or exchanging of information with others in an informal network, as to further a career.” When you ask a teenager or young adult what networking is they would say “It’s like making friends”. (I like both definitions)

Networking is the intersection between work and friendship.

For the purpose of this article I am defining networking as “Building friendships with like-minded people where you can help each other fulfill your goals”

“IT’S ALL ABOUT WHO YOU KNOW” I first heard this statement from a pastor’s wife. She was commenting on how (in her opinion) her denomination was too political. The inference was that people were promoted to positions of leadership, not based on their character or abilities but simply on who their friends were.

Admittedly this does happen (on occasion, however if you receive a promotion simply based on friendship and don’t have the necessary abilities, you won’t have that job for very long. On the other hand if you don’t have any relationships you may not ever get a shot a job that you really want. (It doesn’t matter how good you are at something if nobody knows about it.)

The truth is that “who you know” is a key part of what makes life work. My best friends are people I work with at my church, or have met at a conference somewhere around the country. These are people that I genuinely care about. I want to see them succeed and they want to see me succeed.

Networking is like breathing. It’s not the only thing that matters, but if you don’t do it you won’t last very long.

To be continued……..
http://www.markharper.blogspot.com